A Simple Wish: Ungranted
by MusicalDaydream
Summary: discontinued til further notice Mai is a beautiful princess, but with dead parents. Now, she's been sent to the streets. Could this mysterious beggar help her get her spot in the royal family back? MaiXJoey
1. Dumped Into The Street

A Simple Wish: Ungranted  
  
Mai, princess of Egypt, has met a poor villager (Joey), begging for food. When she refuses to give him any, she doesn't know that she will suffer. When she returns home that afternoon, she finds out that all of her heirlooms and riches were stolen, forcing her to become a beggar, like Joey.  
  
Author's Note: I do appreciate suggestions and critics, but I don't appreciate reviews like: I HATE YOUR STORY! Or something like that, typed in all caps. Thanks for your reviews! Sorry for the historical inaccuracies, if I have any. But sometimes that's what makes the story more interesting. Also, this is told in Mai's POV through the whole story. Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh or any of the Characters in it. So have a nice day and don't sue me.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 1: Dumped Into the street  
  
As I walked through the streets of the crowded Marketplace, someone that I didn't recognize approached me. He was dressed rags from head to toe, and begged me for food. Also, he seemed to be around my age and had messy blonde hair and red-brown eyes.  
  
"Please miss! I'm just begging you for one slice of bread." He said.  
  
"I'm sorry, beggar, but I do not have time for you, I must get home."  
  
"But.But miss! I can't afford to buy anything! I need food to live!"  
  
I just left him at that. I hated beggars, especially the type that would never give up, begging you until you were on your last nerve. I also hated rich merchants and their families, especially their sons. They would hit on me, and then would never stop begging me to marry them. I had already made up a final decision: that I was never going to love anyone outside of my family, not even friends. That was probably the reason that I didn't have any friends. I could never love anyone now that my parents were dead. My relatives, the next heir to the throne, had treated me badly, more like the family maid then the princess. That's why I had to do the shopping for food.  
  
Sometimes I think that I would have a better life as a beggar, but that's foolish of me to think. I supposedly had heir to the throne, until after my parents died, my Aunt produced a sheet of paper with her and my uncle's names on it. After that, things went downhill. After they took over the throne, some of our riches were stolen. People think that my aunt and uncle pretended they were stolen, and some rich people would pity us, me and my cousins would get married to them, and we'd become richer. It was too easy to be seen as a scheme.  
  
As soon as I got home, my cousins ran up to me, crying. This was extremely unusual, since nobody in the family would come up to me for words of wisdom. I was the insensitive one of the family.  
  
Secretly, I knew that my parents' so called will was written by my relatives, and all they wanted was riches.  
  
"Mai! Mai!" they screamed, grabbing my attention.  
  
"What one earth happened here? Where is the King and Queen?" (A/N: I can't think of names right now...heheheh)  
  
"All of the money is gone! We won't have pretty clothes anymore! Mom and Dad are out where the riches used to be. They just found out that all of the stuff was stolen."  
  
I sighed. I went out to were all of our heirlooms and riches used to be. This must be part of their plan, I thought. When I reached out to the back, I saw my Aunt and Uncle.  
  
"Where'd our riches go?" I asked, wondering what they were going to say.  
  
"Um...Mai, that's what we were going to tell you. We're selling our home. But we have a big enough family. Since you are the eldest, we thought that you could finally have the freedom to live on your own," my aunt said, speaking for the 2 of them.  
  
"And those clothes you have on! They aren't fit for a beggar!" said my uncle.  
  
"What the....What on earth is going on here?" I screamed.  
  
"In other words, Mai, we are leaving you to live on your own, just not in this house. We won't have much left, so we're selling the house."  
  
Yeah right, I thought. They just want me to go so they can recover the treasures, and then I won't have anywhere to go. All of this was just an act to get me away. So I have to play along, and be left with nothing.  
  
"Mai, we're selling your clothes. You can wear these." They threw me some rags. 


	2. Help From A Beggar

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh!  
  
Chapter 2: Help from a beggar  
  
I was about to cry, so I ran up to my room. Everything was gone, and so was my hope. I mentally kicked myself. If they hear you crying, they're going to take even more advantage of you, I told myself. So I quickly washed my face.  
  
"Mai, Mom said that you have to leave now. We're getting ready to sell the house," my cousin said.  
  
I sighed, got up, and left. I didn't even know where I was going to stay for the night. As a wandered the streets, saw the boy that I had encountered that afternoon. He came up to me and snickered.  
  
"What is SO funny? What is SO funny that you have to laugh?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."  
  
"Look, kid. You didn't hurt me at all."  
  
"Do you want somewhere to stay for the night?"  
  
"You have a place?"  
  
"Not really, but I can find somewhere for the both of us."  
  
I shrugged, but followed him. He was really sweet to take me somewhere, when he barely had enough for himself. Later, he decided to take me to the middle of the desert. He sat with his back against the rock and patted the ground next to him. I looked at him, but he pulled me down.  
  
"Don't be scared," he said.  
  
"I'm not scared. It's just really weird having to live like this."  
  
"You'll get used to it. The only problem is that you might get hungry."  
  
I looked at him. There was something about him that I hadn't noticed before.  
  
I laughed. "I've been talking to you for a while, and I still haven't asked you your name!"  
  
He laughed too. "It's Joey. What about you?"  
  
"It's Mai."  
  
"Erm..Mai, can I tell you something?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What happened to you? I thought that you didn't have time for a beggar like me."  
  
I looked him in the eye and sighed. "My aunt and uncle, the king and queen, said that all of the riches were stolen, and they kicked me out, to make a long story short."  
  
His face softened. "I'm sorry. I never knew that they kicked you out."  
  
By that time I was holding back tears.  
"Don't worry Mai, it's okay to cry once in a while." He reassured me.  
  
Tears started streaming from my eyes. I didn't want to be a poor beggar! And I know that my aunt and my uncle were just scheming something to make me go away. Oh..I wish that I could tell Joey everything! Wait, maybe I can!  
  
"Joey..Can I tell you something? And will you promise to never tell anyone?" I desperately asked him. 


	3. Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh, so you better not sue me.  
  
Author's note: Well, If you forgot what happened in the last chapter, Mai gets kicked out of her own house, so she turns to this street beggar, Joey for help. Now she's about to tell him what happened.  
  
Chapter 3: Confessions  
  
"What's wrong, Mai?" was Joey's curious question.  
  
"Joey, I'm not sure if you will believe me, but I think that my aunt and uncle just did what they did to get rid of me."  
  
"Why do you think that?"  
  
"Well, when my parents died, they supposedly produced their will, because if their will wasn't found, I would be heir to the throne. Also, as soon as they became the rulers, some of our money was stolen. And now all of our money and treasures are gone. And now may be rich merchants will pity them and then they'll recover the money and the treasures right after the wedding and and and and and..." I stuttered.  
  
Joey didn't say anything. Instead, he put his arm around me. I let him, because I was too wrapped up in my own world.  
  
Coming back down to earth, I ask him, "Joey, why did you help me after the way I treated you?"  
  
He blushed. "I don't know. Maybe it's because you're the prettiest girl I've seen in my whole entire life." He kissed me on the cheek.  
  
Now it was my turn to blush. Joey made me feel so good inside, but I made a promise to myself long ago to never love anyone outside my family. Not even friends. I turned to look at him again.  
  
"I really like you, Mai, despite your attitude," he said.  
  
"What attitude? What's wrong with my attitude?"  
  
He laughed. "Your attitude suits you perfectly."  
  
Oh..I want him SO much, but I can't love anybody.but he's so warm, and so loving, and welcoming.NO MAI! He's probably just hitting on you anyway.  
  
"Where are we going to sleep tonight, Joey?" I asked him.  
  
"Right where we are right now."  
  
"But.how?"  
  
"I sleep like this every night, so you'd better get used to it."  
  
I didn't say anything after that. I didn't want to ruin my only friend. I rolled around in the sand for about half an hour, and fell asleep. 


	4. A New Day, A New Story

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh. If I did, nobody would like it because it'd become a cheesy love story.  
  
Chapter 4: A new day, a new story  
  
I woke up slowly. I was rolling around in the sand, thinking that it was my bed. An arm stopped me from rolling around. I opened my eyes sleepily. There was Joey, staring into my eyes. His brown eyes were so gorgeous!  
  
"Get up, Mai. It's morning." He told me.  
  
"No..I don't want to," I moaned. I started to roll again, but Joey's arms stopped me.  
  
"Get up, Mai! I thought that you wanted to become princess again. I'm going to help you figure out this mystery!" There was now determination in his eyes, and I just wanted to melt onto the floor.  
  
I slowly got up. Where am I? I thought. Then I remembered. The night before seemed like such a nightmare. I was groggy from sleeping on the sand, until I looked into Joey's determined eyes once more. Then, I floated into a daydream..NO! I stopped myself. I didn't have time to daydream, and I didn't have anything to dream about. I had to get myself back home! The place where I could live in the lap of luxury, not sleep in the sand all night, and actually get 3 meals a day.  
  
"Joey, I'm hungry," I complained.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mai. I'll try to find food for us." Then he paused. "I'm sorry if I can't get you anything special. I know that we won't have the best life, but we'll manage."  
  
Mai suddenly felt guilty for what she had done yesterday. He should have given him some food! But she had been too self-absorbed to even think about him. Maybe that was fate's way of punishing her.  
  
"C'MON, Mai!"  
  
I struggled to catch up to him. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Aww.. Come on, Mai.let's go see if your house has a for-sale sign on it!" (A/N: Sorry about the historical inaccuracies, but it'll make the story more interesting.)  
  
"Why do you care?" I snapped. I couldn't help it, because I was so grouchy.  
  
"Just c'mon!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back of the house, and shushed me.  
  
We could hear my aunt and uncle talking. "What on earth?" I said  
  
"Shut up!" Joey whispered to me.  
  
We could hear their entire conversation. "What are we going to do now, now that the heir to the throne is gone?" They were talking about me.  
  
"Where do you think she is? Do you think she survived last night?"  
  
"Nah. Even if she did, she'd die of starvation today."  
  
How dare they talk about me this way. They are SO dumb to think that I couldn't survive on my own!  
  
"Well, the whole country knows that we have been robbed. What are we going to do now?"  
  
"We have to make sure that our treasures stay hidden in the back yard. And then we can marry off Jewel to some lovesick merchant!"  
  
I almost laughed out loud, until Joey covered my mouth. I could tell that they hid something underground. It was too hilarious to think of. All of the dirt was fresh, but they NEVER gardened. I knew that they were up to something.  
  
I stayed and listened to their conversation some more, until Jewel, my oldest cousin, who's about 3 years younger than me, walked in, wearing MY best dress. I nudged Joey.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"She wearing MY best dress! I can't believe her!"  
  
I heard him mutter something like, "You'd look a lot better in it than she would."  
  
I didn't want to watch or hear anything any longer. Also, I was hungrier than ever. My stomach growled, and I guess that Joey heard it, because he said, "Let's go get something to eat. Do you have anything with you?"  
  
I searched through my rags, and found a single penny. I looked at it. It could probably buy us only a bit of food, but I was so hungry I didn't care how much I ate.  
  
"Come on! I don't have all day!" I ran over to the market place. Joey followed, and I bought us some food. An ordinary guy looked over at me, and for some reason, was still dazzled by my looks.  
  
I walked away, ignoring the guy, until I realized that he was following me.  
  
"You still looks gorgeous in rags, and I still want you to marry me!" the guy said.  
  
Then I recognized the voice. He was the son of my parents enemies, but for some reason, had asked me to marry him countless times.  
  
"Ugh, not you again! What'd you want this time?"  
  
"Just for you to marry me. And this will be the last time because it will be by force!" He grabbed me, refusing to let go. "I'm sure you'd like to be my princess now, because you wouldn't be in rags!"  
  
"JOEY! HELP!"  
  
Joey ran over to my side as soon as he heard.  
  
"Let her go!" he snapped.  
  
"Who's going to make me?"  
  
"She doesn't love you, so why would she want to marry you?"  
  
"And you would make a better husband to her?" He snickered. He dropped me, and I was about to fall onto hard cement, but Joey caught me. Joey sat me down gently, and knocked out the guy.  
  
Joey and I started to walk back to the place that we slept last night.  
  
"Thanks for saving me, Joey," I said.  
  
"Aww.it was nothing."  
  
I hugged him. What am I doing? I thought to myself. He is a complete stranger that I just met yesterday! Maybe I don't need to keep my promise. I wish that I could. Joey didn't know this, but I liked him more than any rich merchant that I would meet in the marketplace.  
  
I saw Joey blush when I hugged him. He hugged back, and said that he was happy that he saved me.  
  
That night, right before I was about to sleep, Joey poked me.  
  
"What?" I asked sleepily.  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. What is it?"  
  
"Um.I just wanted to tell you that.um.I really like you."  
  
"Me, too." I hugged him tightly.  
  
"Mai, if you ever become princess again, will you please invite me to visit every once in a while?" He was teasing me, and flashed I hilariously cute grin at me.  
  
"Aww.Maybe I'll forget about you and go off and marry some prince." I teased him back.  
  
"Please, don't! I'll really really really really really really miss you!"  
  
"Don't worry, Joey. I promised myself that I wasn't going to get married- ever."  
  
He looked kind of disappointed, like he was thinking about wanting to marry me or something. His grin faded, so I snuggled into his arms. He seemed happier, but still had that disappointed look in his eyes.  
  
Amazingly, I fell asleep in his arms that night. I stayed asleep through the whole night, unlike last night. 


	5. Not Him Again!

OMG!! This has been on hold for what, how long? I swore that I would finish it, and I'm finally getting to writing it again!  
  
Ok, cheers for my reviewers!  
  
To Luthien-Awaman: Hey, thanks for reviewing! This story is FINALLY off hold!  
  
To Mell Minamoto: See? I took it off hold! I told you I would!  
  
To Hope for Love: I'm glad you think of this story as heartwarming!  
  
To Yu-gi-oh-mai: Thanks for the compliment!  
  
To Sesshoumaru is my fluffy: I'm glad you've enjoyed this fic!  
  
To Mai Wheeler: Go Joey x Mai! It's the bestest couple in the world! Lol!  
  
Disclaimer: I, DayDreamerz, do not own YuGiOh.  
  
Chapter 5: Not Him Again!  
  
I didn't sleep well that night, thinking of the awful things that my aunt and uncle would do. I hated them. They broke my family just for the throne. I had no one to go to, not even friends. I hated the way that they threw my to the street with nothing left. Absolutely nothing.  
  
But... but Joey was just someone else. Maybe just a kid, but he was the only person that has ever been there for me in my life. My parents always acted too busy for me, even when they were alive.  
  
I lay on the sand until dawn; I was restless. I rolled over to Joey and poked him. He moaned and slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"What's wrong, Mai?"  
  
"Can't sleep."  
  
"Aww, c'mon. I'm tired. Let me sleep."  
  
He did look truly tired, so I let him sleep until daylight. Then he finally got up.  
  
"Well... what did you want to say?" He looked curious, seeing the dark circles under my eyes. "Wow, did it really keep you up all night?"  
  
Suddenly, it just came spilling out. Everything about my life.  
  
"My parents died when I was young, so my aunt and uncle took over the throne. They never thought of me... so I they've now just thrown me out... so they could keep their family name as rulers... I guess."  
  
He looked at me with those kind, chocolate brown eyes, and I knew that he understood. He put a comforting arm around my waist, and I leaned on his arm.  
  
Then, just as suddenly as my thoughts came out, I backed away from him and pushed his arm off my waist.  
  
I can't do this, I just can't. He can't get close to me and I can't love him. Tears started to well up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I can't cry in front of him, I can't cry in front of anybody. They'll just take advantage of me!  
  
"Are you alright? You look kinda afraid, like you're still hiding something from me." He was still there, watching me the whole time.  
  
"I'm... I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a while."  
  
"I guess so... I'll try to find some food for us, then." He walked off, leaving me there.  
  
This... this typical beggar... wasn't really typical at all... who seemed ordinary to be at first, just a guy who had a crush on me... he helped me, cared for me when I was dumped into the streets...  
  
No, the little voice said. Don't pay any attention to him. He'll eventually leave you, just like your parents did.  
  
But... he seems like my angel, in way. He's always there for me, not matter what...  
  
Suddenly, someone grabbed me around to waist, and covered my mouth. I tried to shriek, but I couldn't, not with his hand there. He picked me up, and took me to a dark dungeon, and locked me in there.  
  
"What do you want from me?" I screamed. Then, as he walked into the light, I realized that it was him.  
  
"What are you going to do now, now that you're little boyfriend isn't here?"  
  
"HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"  
  
He walked right up to me, and put his hand on my chin. I shivered.  
  
"Now, I've worked this out with your guardians... if you marry me, I won't tell the world about the fake loss of your fortune.  
  
"NEVER!"  
  
"Well then, we'll just have to add your boyfriend to the bargain..."  
  
"I told you, he is not..." I was cut off when I saw Joey, knocked out.  
  
"I'll just have to kill him if you don't marry me."  
  
"NO! You can't!"  
  
"We'll see about that." He pulled out a knife.  
  
Hahahaha... evil cliffie, if you could call it that... hehehehe!  
  
Oh yeah, and Artemisia wants to say something...  
  
'If any of you are pro TeaXYami fans, DayDreamerz will have a new fic out soon, that's called A Deeper Shade of Blue. Please read it, because it'll be her first shot at TeaXYami!' 


	6. A Runaway And A Rescue

-o- Yes, I'm lazy. Yes, I'm the queen of procrastination. Yes, I've even been slacking off on reviewing (which is really surprising for me.) And yes, I've promised more chapters than I have posted this summer. And I have even more excuses in my bio. Sorry, everyone. ducks from tomatoes  
  
Well, thank you to those who reviewed. I'm too lazy to go look them up. And I have even more plot twists for you.  
  
Disclaimer: Same as always. Not mine.  
  
Chapter 6: A Runaway and a Rescue  
  
The Knife was now right next to my neck, ready to gush all of the blood in me out. I tried to back up. I was in the dungeon, after all. Well, being the stupid guy that he was, he dropped the key. He frantically looked around, and then realized that the key wasn't there.  
  
"Well... if I can't have you, I'll just have to kill your precious boyfriend!"  
  
I can't believe that I forgot. Joey was still on the floor, knocked out, right in the killing range of him. (A/N: Killing range? Where'd I get that from?)  
  
My anger was about to boil over. He wasn't going to kill Joey, no matter what. "Joey... get your big fat ass off the ground, and run for yourself." I hoped that he could hear me, because if he couldn't... let's just say, we were both going to be in for it.  
  
He body seemed to stir at my words, but he still didn't get up. He HAD to! "Joey... are you listening to me? Get up, and get out!"  
  
He stirred a little more, and then his eyes flew open. "Where am I? The last thing that I remember... hm... I WAS just walking around, and then someone grabbed me from behind..."  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Joey! There's no time to think about that now... go run and save yourself!"  
  
"Mai... I can't just leave you here!"  
  
"Of course you can! Now, go!"  
  
"But Mai... I wouldn't ever forgive myself for leaving you like this!"  
  
"What a sweet and touching moment..." Oh, shit. I forgot that HE was standing right there, watching the whole friggin time.  
  
"Joey, run... run as far as you can get! You have to! At least then, one of us will live!"  
  
(Joey's POV)  
  
I had no choice but to run now. I wasn't going to leave Mai there... was I? No, I'll go get help. I left her with no sign of good-bye, I'm sure that she would forgive me... of course, I had a lot to forgive from her.  
  
I ran out of that awful dungeon, and hoped to find someone. How was I going to find anyone? I groaned... me and my stupidity.  
  
"Hey, do you need a little help there?" I looked up at the voice. Who is this guy? He had the spikiest hair of them all... and WHY was it three colors? (A/N: Yup... you guessed it!) "I guess I SHOULD be introducing myself." He chuckled. "I'm Yami."  
  
"Nice ta meet ya. I'm Joey." This guy sounded pretty cool. And maybe he could help me.  
  
"So... what ARE you doing here? This place isn't really the best to be."  
  
"Oh... that!" I sheepishly grinned. (Hey, this IS Joey!) "Well... I was kinda knocked out... and the creep brought me here, and I ran out to escape. So... what are YOU doing here?"  
  
He laughed. "Oh, I was just walking by." Just walking by? Are you really sure about that? He looked at me strangely. "You don't believe me, do you?"  
  
"No... not really." I answered truthfully.  
  
"Well... I guess I was just investigating. But let's not talk here."  
  
Then I realized that we were still there. (A/N: Stupid Joey. :P) "Ok... sure. Let's go."  
  
The desert was bigger than it looked... and how was I going to help Mai? She's still in there, and how am I going to get help? (Help is right next to you, Joey!)  
  
"Joey... you know how I said that I was investigating?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well... my family got overthrown years ago, by my aunt and uncle! I'm sure it was them, because they were always up to no good. Well... I was thrown to the streets, but I found a job for a merchant... and now I've become one."  
  
Wait... this story sounded all too familiar! It was almost identical to Mai's... except... didn't her relatives first keep her, and THEN kicked her out?  
  
I smacked my forehead. Why was I waiting here when help was right next to me? "Yami... I'd hate to tell ya this... but I hafta get back there!" (Yes, Joey! You finally figured it out!)  
  
Yami looked at me, like he was really confused. "Why? I thought that you wanted to get away from there."  
  
"Yami... I left a girl there... and I think that she can help you settle these things with your relatives! She was trapped in a dungeon, and I left to get help!"  
  
"Let's go, then!"  
  
(Mai's POV)  
  
I felt the knife gash deeper and deeper into my neck. I tried to pull away, but he had me tightly in his grasp.  
  
"Stop it! What do you want from me, anyway?" I had to take a stand.  
  
"You know what I want... and you've refused to give it too me!" He looked at me seductively.  
  
I tried once again to escape from his grasp... but he held on tighter than I thought he could.  
  
"Look, Mai... beautiful... if you give me what I want, then you, you're family, and your boyfriend will live. If you don't, well... you're just going to bleed until you do." His knife cut deeper.  
  
I tried to kick him, but I forgot about the prison wall between us. I ended up injuring myself, instead.  
  
"Stupid girl..."  
  
"WHAT did you call me?" I attempted to get away again, and of course, it failed.  
  
(Joey's POV)  
  
Mai... if I don't get back there in time... I'll never forgive myself... stupid sandstorm! Why did it just HAVE to start up once we got across the desert!  
  
"Joey, hang on... if you believe in yourself, we WILL get there... you're not the only one who needs to see her. I was young when I got kicked out of the palace, but I still remember my family. I remember that I had a sister... two years younger than me, I think... my relatives kept her, from what I know."  
  
What on earth happened? Does that mean that Mai is Yami's sister? That doesn't seem right, but... there stories match each other! And there is only one royal family in Egypt!  
  
"Mai... don't worry! I'll get to you!"  
  
Yami and I shifted through the sandstorm, and FINALLY got there. "Well... this is it... let's hope that she's still alive." I followed Yami into the dungeon.  
  
(Mai's POV)  
  
I couldn't last much longer... this is it... I'm going to die right here, right now. Wait! What was I telling myself! You're Mai, remember! You're not going to give this up without a fight!  
  
"MAI! Are you ok?"  
  
What? He's back? I thought that I told him to run for his life! "JOEY! Why are you back here? I told you to run!"  
  
Joey ran up behind him, and kicked him. He fell to the floor with a thud. "I guess this guy isn't so tough after all. Now, where's the key that he dropped?"  
  
Joey searched the floor, and found it. "I got it!" But by then... it was too late. HE came behind Joey, clasped a hand over his mouth, and threw him.  
  
"Do you think that I'd really give up that easily?" I could see his sneer.  
  
His sneer didn't last too long, though. Another kick, and a punch came from behind him. It was Joey, once again!  
  
"Mai, I'm going to get you out of here." Joey put the key through the keyhole, turned it, and opened the door.  
  
I don't know what possessed me, but I ran into his arms. They seemed so welcoming... so happy to see me.  
  
We stayed in an embrace for a while, until a voice interrupted us. "Joey, shouldn't we be leaving now?"  
  
I turned my head so I was facing the voice.  
  
"Sister...?"  
  
Whew! Finally done with the chapter! I hope that you guys enjoy it! Also, if you like previews, and slight spoilers on my fics, visit my LJ. I occasionally put previews there. 


	7. Their Past, and a few fluffy moments!

Well... here's the next chapter! It came sooner than you thought it would, didn't it? Er... or not. Hmm... well, I'll only have a few more chapters after this... I'm guessing that it will be 9 or 10 in all.  
  
Disclaimer: Do I HAVE to say this again? All right, I don't own YuGiOh, and I NEVER will. Trust me.  
  
Chapter 7: Their Past, and a Few Fluffy Moments  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
"Brother? Why are you here? Everyone thought that you were dead!" Mai was surprised.  
  
"I... I don't know. When the King and Queen kicked my out of the house, I found my way around. I became a merchant, and I am doing well today." Yami answered.  
  
"Then... why didn't you tell me? Or come and get me from the Ra-damned palace?"  
  
"I apologize... my sister... I did not come and get you because I was afraid of what the King and Queen would do to me... of course they would recognize me. But..."  
  
Yami's apology was interrupted by a smack. "You said that you'd always be there for me... and you said that if you got kicked out, you'd bring me with you! You PROMISED that we'd stay together!"  
  
"Whoa, Mai... please calm down..." Joey put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You don't get it, Joey! You've never had a family in your life, and you don't know what it feels like if someone betrays you! You would NEVER understand!"  
  
Joey was shocked. He didn't ever think that Mai would rebel like this toward him. No one ever had, of course... but he didn't really have much interaction with people in his life... the only family that he had in this world was gone, all gone.  
  
"Serenity! Please don't go! I don't want you to leave me!"  
  
"I'm sorry Joey... but I have to. Mom's making me." The sad look on Serenity's face hurt Joey.  
  
"Who ever said that you always had to listen to Mom? I don't!"  
  
"Then maybe that's why she's not taking you with us!"  
  
"Don't go... Serenity! You're the only friend that I've ever had in my life!"  
  
Tears welled up in Serenity's eyes. She walked up to Joey and embraced him. "I... I'm so sorry, Joey. I wish that you could come with us... but you have to watch over Dad!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I've got to watch over DAD! He never treated me with respect when he was alive, why should I give him respect when he's dead? Heck, he's probably damming me somewhere in Hell!"  
  
Those words just made Serenity sob more. "Joey... I thought that you had more of a heart than to say that... even if it's about someone like our father!"  
  
"Well, I just don't see why I can't go with you!"  
  
"Joey... I don't know. I just know that Mom's taking me... but when I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person that I see!"  
  
Joey's eyes softened. "Ok, Serenity..." he said in a soft voice. He hated to see his sister cry over something that he had done.  
  
Well... after Serenity and his mother left, the only thing that kept Joey going was the fact that he might see Serenity the next day... if not the next day, then the next.  
  
That was his routine... at least until he got the awful news... the awful news that his mother and sister had died of the heat in the desert. They were to be buried, but Joey never came to the funeral. He could only think of those words... the last words that his sister had ever said to him. "When I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person I see." Yeah, right.  
  
Joey didn't eat for days. He never thought anything except for those words, the ones that his sister said to him. "Damn. I can't believe that I actually believed those words."  
  
His sister was his everything. They did everything together, from taking walks to shopping in the marketplace. Now he didn't have anything to live for.  
  
"Mai... you're wrong." A single tear trickled down his cheek. He mustered the courage to speak more. But he couldn't... for the thoughts of his family froze him on the spot.  
  
Mai looked at him; suddenly sorry that she ever said anything about his family. 'Of course he'd have one, you ditz! How else do you think that he came to this earth!' "I... I'm sorry, Joey... I didn't mean anything."  
  
"It's ok..." he said. "Let's get out of here, ok?"  
  
The trio walked up, back in the desert again, suddenly realizing that it was night, and they were in the middle of nowhere.  
  
"I guess that were going to hafta stay here tonight... don't ya think?" Joey turned to Yami. "Do you have any ideas?"  
  
"Hmm..." Yami thought. "My home isn't far from here, I think that we can get there before it's too late."  
  
"Good idea, Brother."  
  
The three ventured up and down hills, but finally made it to Yami's home around midnight. His home was a decent size, so both Joey and Mai could have separate rooms.  
  
Yami walked down to his room, tired, leaving the two in rooms right next to each other.  
  
"Well, I guess it's good-night, Mai."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
The two ventured into their rooms, neither tired nor sleepy.  
  
Joey rolled around in his bed, trying to get to sleep. Nothing would help. He tried counting Duel Monsters, telling himself a story, but NOTHING would work! SHE was on his mind.  
  
"Mai..." he sighed, and looked into the night sky. 'Why won't she get out of my mind? Sure she's beautiful, but what kind of princess isn't? Why did I still help her even though she would give me one slice of bread?'  
  
Joey closed his eyes, but sleep just wouldn't accompany him. Mai was still on his mind... and she wasn't about to get off of it. "ARGH, DAMMIT! Get out my mind, Mai! Why won't you?"  
  
Joey's temper refused to cool down, so he went out to get a drink of water. 'Maybe then she'll get off my mind.  
  
Mai wasn't doing much better, sleep-wise. She rolled around in her bed, but sleep was something far away. "The first night in a week that I get to sleep in a comfortable bed, and I can't sleep! This is great, just great."  
  
She got out of the covers, and sat on her bed. 'Why can't I sleep? I mean, I've found out that brother is alive, and I'm in a nice bed! Maybe sleeping in that sand really got to my head!'  
  
She looked out the window, gazing into the night sky. "Maybe he's looking in the same sky that I am... Mai! Why are you thinking of him at this moment? He'll never be good enough for you, and you know it!' 'But he's so sweet...' the other side of her mind said. 'He saved my life today.'  
  
Mai felt the place where the knife gashed into her. 'It's a good thing that Joey came in time... or else I would've been forced into marriage.'  
  
Mai sighed. "I'm going to go get a drink," she said out loud.  
  
She walked out the door, and was about to walk into the kitchen, but her foot caught on something, and she tripped. She closed her eyes and waited for the bang, but it never came. Instead, she felt too strong arms wrap around her waist. She opened her eyes, only to see Joey standing right in front of her.  
  
"Joey." She smiled. She stood up straight again, with a little bit of help from him. "You couldn't sleep either?"  
  
"Yeah... do you want to come to my room?"  
  
"Sure... I have nothing better to do, and I can't sleep."  
  
The two walked into the room, only to face silence.  
  
'Mai, apologize! Stop being such a jerk to him!' Wow, it's amazing how much those little voices in your head know.  
  
"Joey... I'm sorry..."  
  
Joey was shocked. One minute, they were sitting in complete silence. The next, Mai was apologizing, and he didn't even know what for!  
  
"What for, Mai?"  
  
Mai touched Joey's arm. "You know... earlier... when I said that you didn't have a family..."  
  
"Oh... Mai, it's ok. It really doesn't matter..." Joey was suddenly quiet.  
  
"Joey... I know that it does matter! I can tell, so don't try to hide it from me!"  
  
"It's ok, Mai... I don't want to talk about it. They're all dead."  
  
'How could I have been so self-centered? I thought that everyone in my family was dead, but when I found Brother, I blamed Joey.'  
  
"Mai... don't feel sorry for me. I don't want you to. You have your own things to worry about. You want the throne back, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I do! If you don't want me here, I think I'll go back to my room." Mai got up, ready to go.  
  
Joey grabbed her wrist. "Don't go... I want you to stay here with me."  
  
Mai turned around to look at Joey. "Why? So you can make me feel guiltier than I already feel?" They were getting closer, little by little.  
  
Suddenly, Joey swiftly grabbed her chin, and gave her a kiss. Mai's eyes widened at this... she never knew that he would do this.  
  
Just as quickly as Joey kissed, he let go of her. "I... I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean to do that. You can go now." He turned around, ashamed.  
  
"Joey! Look at me!" Mai grabbed his arm, and turned him around. "Why? Tell me!"  
  
"Mai... I couldn't ever tell you."  
  
"Joey... listen to me! I want to know why!"  
  
Joey reluctantly spoke. "I like you, Mai... that's all."  
  
Mai's eyes softened. He liked her? Well, sure... she liked him a lot, too... but still! She never had the nerve to kiss him! "I'm leaving, now, Joey."  
  
"Mai... stop." Mai was surprised. She thought that he would just let her go!  
  
"Please stay with me... tonight... I'm sure that with Yami here, you two will get the throne back soon... I know that you will. So I won't be seeing you... so just stay with me tonight..."  
  
"I guess so..." 'Mai, what are you doing? Don't give yourself away to him! You've barely known him!' Mai ignored the voice in her head. "I'm kinda tired... will you be a gentleman to me and let me have the bed?" Mai batted her eyes at him.  
  
"No way, Mai. As much as I like you... you're not taking my bed away!" Joey teased.  
  
"Then I guess we're just going to have to share it." There was a twinkle in Mai's eye.  
  
Joey was shocked. "I... uh... guess so, then!" He lay down, sprawled out on the bed.  
  
"Joey! Don't hog the bed!" Mai playfully shoved him.  
  
"Alright, beautiful."  
  
Mai lay down next to him, and snuggled into his chest. Joey was surprised by this, but wrapped his arms around her.  
  
It was quite a night, wasn't it?"  
  
A/N: Before you ask... er... this isn't the ending. Nope, not at all. But there's only a few more chapters left to go. TT Don't be sad, I have lots of JouXMai fics planned for the future! 


End file.
